The Next AD - A Discussion Thread

[SubGod22]

And apparently there's an official press conference for the media to take place Friday, details to be announced some time today.

Earn your money Taylor!!!! (I kid. I'm sure he's underpaid)

[abdullah_sharif]

Murray State has a gun problem.



They have men and womens rifle teams.

… it is the south.

[ShockerPrez]

Better call Saal.

[Shockm]

Just where in Kansas, is he from? KCK, Larry World, Dodge, Pitt, Salina, Hays........?

[WstateU]

Just where in Kansas, is he from? KCK, Larry World, Dodge, Pitt, Salina, Hays........?

All of the above; he’s been everywhere man…

Sing it Johnny…

[SubGod22]

Just where in Kansas, is he from? KCK, Larry World, Dodge, Pitt, Salina, Hays........?

He graduated from HS in Manhattan. At least according to the WBJ article I read this morning.

[WuDrWu]

I have, in fact, traveled every road in this here land. I've been everywhere, man.

[SB Shock]

Watch some of his videos from his Murray State time. He seems likable. He just hired the former Iowa State coach to take over at Murray State basketball.

He seems to check a lot of boxes with his experience. He should have a good honeymoon period to get his feet under him.

[SubGod22]

Eagle - The five biggest challenges facing new Wichita State athletic director Kevin Saal

1. Navigating the Shockers in a new age of Name, Image and Likeness

It’s unclear how much experience Saal has directly working with a NIL collective from his time at Murray State, but his background suggests he could adapt quickly to the challenge.

2. Re-energizing the donor base at Wichita State

He also has a track record of fundraising success at Kentucky, where he developed relationships with donors and played a significant role in the design and construction or renovation of eight athletic facilities, including a $135 million project to renovate the football field and and a $49 million construction project to build a baseball stadium.

3. Taking Wichita State from in the red back to in the black

It remains to be seen how quickly Saal can turn things around for the Shockers, but it’s promising that Murray State’s athletic department remained in a stable situation through the pandemic under Saal’s leadership. In an interview with GoRacers.com, Saal said the key was focusing on three core values.

4. Making sure the facilities for men’s basketball remain top-notch

The good news is that Saal developed a “facilities master plan” at Murray State, which meticulously detailed goals to update and advance every athletic facility, that included an emphasis on improving the weight room and training spaces for the men’s basketball team.

5. Guiding Wichita State through conference realignment era

It’s unlikely WSU would change conferences again so quickly, but if recent history has proven anything, it’s that things can change quickly when it comes to conference realignment. It’s never bad to have someone in charge with some experience guiding an athletic department through a transition like Saal, who was instrumental in Murray State receiving an invitation to leave the Ohio Valley Conference to join the Missouri Valley Conference this summer.

I think #5 is a stretch, but there are some good points made in the entirety of the article and it appears that Saal has the experience and vision to handle them.

[TrackSuitAndTie]

Eagle - The five biggest challenges facing new Wichita State athletic director Kevin Saal



I think #5 is a stretch, but there are some good points made in the entirety of the article and it appears that Saal has the experience and vision to handle them.

Agreed. If it's not the Big East, the TV deal won't be worth it.

[Onegreatracer]

I just want to know if they gave you the courtesy of running their choice by you first before announcing. You earned it.

Oh come on, don’t flatter me! You all earned it just as much as I did. FYI, the answer would’ve been a resounding “approved”!

[SubGod22]

Agreed. If it's not the Big East, the TV deal won't be worth it.

I'm not sure what the BE deal is worth, or will be, but I also don't see them even considering us for expansion. Travel costs would also go up and we'd be taken out of areas that we recruit students from for the most part.

The A10 shouldn't even be talked about as their TV deal is horrible and it's not going to get a great deal better and would be a cut in pay with an increase in travel costs. It's a non-starter.

The AAC will have five schools that I'd consider to be far, in USF, FAU, ECU, Temple and Charlotte. The AAC will have six possible road trips that are under a 10 hour drive. I consider anything 12 and under doable, but 10 seems more reasonable.

The Big East has maybe three. It appears that Indianapolis is right at 10 and Chicago is 10.5 so it might be doable. The A10 has one (SLU).

In expansion, SLU might end up in the BE, but that's still a lot of travel as a whole. Maybe the media deal would make up for the increases. The A10 would have no chance, as outside of SLU and Dayton, everything is in the northeast, and NC and Virginia.

Though I also don't see the AAC falling off a cliff like some like to dramatize. We're not replacing Houston as they're currently one of the best programs in the country. But a number of the new adds are better than UCF and a couple of them have been better than Cincinnati lately. And that's while in CUSA. It may take a few years for some of them to get up to speed, but the AAC can still be pretty damn strong with what they'll have. And I've said it before, there are existing teams that are currently holding the conference back by not being what they can be, and that includes us. Temple has fallen. Tulsa hasn't gotten over the hump. Memphis in Memphis. Tulane is improving. SMU should be a team that competes for March. North Texas could be a top five team when they join, same for UAB.

[Dan]

Question for those more involved in WSU athletics: what are the priorities if we can get the donations back up? Do we have facility projects lined up or upgrades needed?

[Stickboy46]

Question for those more involved in WSU athletics: what are the priorities if we can get the donations back up? Do we have facility projects lined up or upgrades needed?

From a outsiders perspective (yet a donor), it appears the new AD is starting with a blank slate for better or worse. I don't think DB had anything in the works. Or nothing that was important enough to tell your donor base about.

[SubGod22]

Question for those more involved in WSU athletics: what are the priorities if we can get the donations back up? Do we have facility projects lined up or upgrades needed?

I believe our previous AD was just coasting and didn't have a plan. I could be wrong, but **** that guy.

Men's basketball weight room should be a priority. We lost out long time strength coach because of it and former players have brought to light how bad it is.

I believe we need some upgrades/seating over at Wilkins Stadium. I'm not sure what else Kristi might want, but whatever it is, it's at least worth looking into.

I honestly don't know what else might be needed on the athletics side. I know we dream about having a separate facility for women's basketball and volleyball that could create a better atmosphere and in turn might help attendance some. Attending games are more fun when there's a good atmosphere.

Some of us dream about adding sports. Football is the big dream, but more reasonably would be soccer. There's a good amount of local talent that would benefit and could be used to compete in a reasonable time frame. It's also not something that would be crazy expensive and if Cessna can't be used, Stryker could be until something official could be built.

Maybe add beach volleyball. Would be of minimal expense. Gymnastics wouldn't be overly expensive. Crew already exists at the club level. These aren't major revenue drivers by any means, though soccer could potentially hold its own, but the create more opportunity and diversity of talents and interests.